It was a familiar Thanksgiving dinner. Several tables were pushed together to make one long table with room for everyone. The tables were covered with a white tablecloth; sure, it was just one long strip of white paper, but the image was right. There was a heaping platter of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans with almonds, sweet potatoes, and dinner rolls. And at the far end of the table, down near the desserts, was a tall pile of white plastic lids…but, I’ll get to that later.

Those sitting at this Thanksgiving table were not family, and they did not resemble each other at all. One girl had lived in the group home for 7 months and talked of how much she loved living there. She proudly shared that she was in Phase 3 and had just completed her first day back in a public school. She also had a new part-time job at Wendy’s and joked with the staff that she was going to come back and work at the shelter as soon as she was old enough. Another girl in a hijab gave her name but said nothing more. A newcomer to the group home, she stared straight ahead and made eye contact with no one.

These kids came to live in 180 Degree’s St. Cloud Group Home for reasons no young person should have to face—personal safety concerns, mental health issues in the family, physical or sexual abuse, lack of acceptance for gender-nonconformity, and anger management issues. Some kids can work things out with their parents and quickly return home; others stay for months.

The St. Cloud Group Home houses up to 12 boys and girls, aged 11 – 17. The staff use a clear system of rewards and privileges to ensure a safe, positive environment. The building provides a homey, functional, and humble home. Chairs are sturdy and nearly indestructible. Inspirational signs and posters decorate the walls. Staff are cheerful, firm, and unflappable; they see the best in teens who are often belligerent and sullen… hurting and in need of love.

And those plastic lids? A Thanksgiving meal for 12 youth, all of the shelter staff, and a few extra guests meant the staff had to be creative. Their kitchen had no extra plates for the pumpkin pie, bars, and cookies… so they looked in their tub of food containers, collected all of the round, white lids to use as dishware, and began to serve dessert.

This is what it’s like to be on the front line and provide a safe, nurturing place for teens who often are viewed as too broken and even disposable.

When you sit down at your own table this Thanksgiving with family and friends, remember…

…the youth who are in 180 Degrees’ shelter and group homes;…the staff who spend time each day with kids who often have been abandoned by their own families;…to share your own blessings, and…that teetering pile of white, plastic lids.

180 Degrees’ St. Cloud Group Home provides residential support services to youth ages 10 – 18who are experiencing family conflict, behavior problems, school difficulties, or criminal activity.